Courtmacsherry RNLI rescues four people on 40ft yacht off Old Head of Kinsale
Courtmacsherry RNLI was called out early this Saturday morning at 4.35am to go to the aid of a 40ft yacht with four people onboard that got into difficulties 21 miles south east of the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.
The all-weather lifeboat, Frederick Storey Cockburn under Coxswain Ken Cashman and a crew of six were away quickly from their moorings at 4.47am and proceeded quickly to the area of the casualty.
The yacht on passage from Spain to Cobh had developed mechanical and other difficulties in north easterly Force 5 sea conditions and requested assistance.
Once the lifeboat reached the vessel at 5.45am, Coxswain Ken Cashman and crew assessed the situation and decided to attach a towline to the disabled boat and proceed under tow at a safe speed in choppy waters to the nearest port of Courtmacsherry.
The lifeboat arrived back to the safe surrounds of the Courtmacsherry Harbour pontoon at 8.30am with the yacht in tow. Vincent O'Donovan, Courtmacsherry RNLI Deputy Launching Authority said: 'It was great to see so many of our volunteers respond so quickly from their beds early this morning to this call out and it was prudent that the yacht's crew made a decision early this morning to seek assistance in some heavy seas as they had battled the elements from 100 miles off shore.'
The crew involved in this morning’s call out were Coxswain Ken Cashman, mechanic Chris Guy and crew members Mark John Gannon, Dara Gannon, Donal Young, Ciaran Hurley and Denis Murphy. This has been the third callout in the last three days with a search for a reported missing swimmer off Garrettstown on Thursday, who subsequently had got to shore themselves and the rescue of a 13ft RIB with one person onboard on the same day.
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